Shell or casing for standard torpedoes.



c. DAvIs. SHELL 0B CASING FOB STANDARD APPLIOTIOI FILED DEG. 6. 1907.

Y Patented Oct 13,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

OLELAND Davis, or THE UNITED STATES NAVY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO NATIONAL TORPEDO OOMPANY, OF NEWYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF MAINE.V

SHELL on esame ron STANDARD TonrnDoEs,

Specification of Letters Patent.

`Application led December 5, l1911!1. Serial No; 405,163. Y

Patented Oct. 13, 1908.

To all 'whom 'it 'may concern:

Be itknown that I, CLnLANn Davis, lieutenant-commander, United States Navy, and

a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District ofColnmbia, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Shells or Gasings for Standard'Torpedoes; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperftains to make and use the same.-

My 'Invention relates to shells or casings for standard torpedoes, and the object of my invention is to provide such a shell or casing with means whereby its length may be readily increased, and thereby its speed as well as its displacement.

It is well known that it is onlypractical to make standard torpedo shells of a certain length, and it is equally well known that if this lengthcould be increased at the time of firing, that the displacement would be creat/er; that the lines of the war head could made ner and sharper, and that therefore a greater weight could be carried by "raid torpedo while, its possible v'speed could be very greatly increased.

More precisely stated, the object of-my inventon is to so increase the carrying capacity of a standard torpedo,fwithout disturbing its ballistlcs, as to enable it to carry a gun and a proectile muchfheavier than it would be possi le to carry were its War head sim ly removed and said gun and projectile su tituted therefor. t To these ends my invention consists in providing the shell of a tor edo lwith a telescoping ead, adapted to extended and thereby com lete the`contour of a torpedo nt the time of), or just before, firing the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a. part of thia specificationg-Figure 1, re resents a longitudinal view ofthe casing o a standard torpedo provided with a 1n and a projectile, and showing the head oigilaid torgedo telescoped within said shell or casing. ig. 2 is a view partly in section of a torpedo shell with the head extended and occupying the `position it hasduring tli ht.V f

aike numerals refer to like parts in all the views.

1, represents the cylindrical portion of a.

standard torpedo'casing'; Iand 2, the head thereof. The'casingfl, isprovided with the taper 3, at its extreme forward end,and the shoulder 4, as shown. .The hea'd 2, is provided at its rear end with the annular ring or projection-5, having the packing 6, and tightly fits the inner surface of the casing 1.

k7, represents the usual diaphragm employed 1n standard torpedoes, providied with a central orifice to receive the gun 8, and 9, represents' any other suitable support for said gun'. t

10, represents an air tank or other source of Huid pressure, and 11, a i e connecting the same with the interior op e head2.

12, represents a suitable valve provided with a stem 13, adapted to "be Operated by` key or other suitable means f This stein 13, maybe operated automatically, if desired, by any of the well known lmeans suitable for contacting therewith whenf the torpedo is 'iired, or'theA said stem may be turned by hand immediately'before f irinr, as desired'. When said stem is turned,` tlilid pressure from the tank 1,0, enters the head 2', and forces the'same outward into the position shown in 2. When the vhead is in this position, the torpedo will have its buoyancy added to byan amount e ual to the displacement of the head2. hat is to say, the standard shell 1, will be made of standard length, and the distance the head 2, projects beyond the same will constitute a length nf the torpedo in addition to -the standard length, and the buoyancy added to said torpedo by this head 2, mav be utilized in providinv the torpedo wit a gun, projectile and charge very much heavier than has heretofore been ossible.

All the llnes of the torpedo being preserved intact, and the weights pro ierly dis tributed as heretofore, the ballistlcs of the torpedo will not be disturbed in the least: but the' speed of thesame will'be somewhat increased owing to the greater length of the body portion.

If desired, the head 2, maybe somewhat 'lli lengthened and sharpened iu its linea, ani

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into its firing position, -is to turn ontheair from the tank 10, by means of the `valve 12, and this may be done'either automatically or by hand. When said head is in its firing position, its outer curvature or lines v:form a continuation of the ta ered' portion 3, of the shell proper, and tlierefore no unusual resistance is offered by the joint between the said head and body ortion.

I do not wish to limited to the exact details of construction and arrangements of parts herein shown, forit is evident that the same may be widely varied without depart? in from the spirit of my invention.

aving now described my invention what -1 claim is y 1. A torpedo casin provided with a sliding 'telcscoping hea adapted to be completel housed in said Icasin and means to exten the same, substantia y as described.

2. A torpedo shell of standard length provided with a telescoping head adapted to be completel housed within said shell, substan tially las described. l I

,3. A torpedo shell oistandard length provided with a head adapted to slide and to be eompletel housed therein, and means to force sai Ahead outward into itsfiring position, substantiall as described.

4. A'torpedo vshell of'standard length tapeled at its forward end, and provided with a telescoping head adapted to he housed inside said shell and to slide outward and form a continuous curve with the tapered portion of said shell, substantially as described.

5. A torpedo shell of standard length provided with a tapered portion and a shoulder at its forward end, in combination with a telescoping head provided with an annular shoulder 5, adapted to contact with said shoulder 4;. and to have yits contour form a continuous curve with the tapered portion of said shell, substantially'as described.

'6. In a torpedo the combination of a cylindrical she l; a gun carried thereby; and a telescoping head adapted to be housed -inf side said shell, substantially as described.

' 7. In a tor o the combination of a cylindrical she l; a n fixed therein; and a head adapted to slidmgly telescope and to be housed therein, substantially jas described.

8. In a torpedo the oomblnation of a shell or casin a gun fixed therein a head adapted to te escope in said shell or casing; and means for forcing said head outward into its firing position, substantially as described.

9. In a tor edo the combination of acasing' of standard length provided with a tapered forward portion; a gun fixed therein; a head telescoping in 'said casing provided With a contour coincidin with the taper of said casing when the sai head is in its firing position; and fluid pressure means for forclng said head outward into its firing position, substantially as described.

10. In a torpedo the combination of a cylindrical casing of standard length having a tapered portion and shoulder at its forward endgof a gunfixed in said casing; an air tankalso fixed in said casin a head slidingly fitted in said casing provlded with a ring adapted to contact wlth the shoulder on said casing; and a valve controlling the admission of air into said head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aliix my signa-I ture, in presence of two witnesses.

CLELAND DAVIS.

Witnesses:` i

R. M. PARKER, A. W. NEALE, Jr. 

